Are you thinking about just getting a disc of your wedding images from your wedding photographer rather than a wedding album? Or perhaps you are a newlywed who has already done so and now you wish you had an album filled with images of your special day? We chatted with Paul from Contemporary Wedding Album about what they can offer brides and grooms, their wedding images presented beautifully in a Queensberry album.
1. Hi Paul, Tell us about what you do at Contemporary Wedding Albums..
Contemporary Wedding Albums is part of Blue Square Images and is dedicated to offering couples the opportunity to have their digital wedding photos turned into a stunning Queensberry album. Many couples opt for wedding photography packages that just include a disc of the hi-res images of their wedding photos. For whatever reason, they decided at the time of booking their wedding photographer, they did not want a wedding album. But after the wedding, this could be months, even years, they have now decided that they would like a Queensberry album to show of their wedding photos. Instead of storing their wedding photos on the computer, never to be seen again, they want something physical to hold, so they can look at and remember their wedding day with fond memories.
Digital photography is great, but the biggest problem, in my opinion, is that majority of every ones photos are on a computer. Where before, we would take our photos on a roll of film (I can hear some people saying “what’s a roll of film?”), have it processed and you get 36 prints back. Put the best ones in an album, the rest in a shoe box on top of the wardrobe! These albums, whether a wedding album or personal, they tell a story, they are social history. In years to come, an album will still be here, digital images may well not! All couples need is a disc of hi-res images of their wedding and we can do the rest. We even help couples who have been let down by their photographers, as well as insurance claims. This is why taking out wedding insurance is so crucial.
2. What exactly is a Queensberry wedding album?
Queensberry wedding albums are beautiful, hand crafted albums that are made in New Zealand. They are renowned for contemporary wedding albums and books that are made from the finest materials. Each album is professionally designed, handmade by Queensberry’s skilled crafts people as well as having an array of options and accessories to choose from. Whether you are looking for a more traditional matted album, a more modern “coffee table” style album or book or even a mixture of the two, Queensberry offer a wide choice. You will not be disappointed. Your friends may be even a little jealous!
3. What makes a Queensberry wedding album different from a standard wedding album?
As a wedding photographer, I was looking for an album supplier who could enhance and display my wedding images to their best. So I went to a number of trade shows looking at wedding album manufactures to see what was out there. And to be honest, I was very disappointed with the quality of albums that I came across. I couldn’t find anything that I wanted to put my images in and offer my clients. Then I came across Queensberry. I was blown away by the quality, look and feel of their albums. They are truly stunning. In my honest opinion, I think they are probably the best albums you can get, and at that point I decided that Queensberry were the albums for me and my clients.
4. What inspired you to become involved in wedding photography?
I have always loved photography and having been a sports photographer, I thought I could bring my own style to someone’s wedding. I like to tell a story of a couples wedding day in a relaxed way, not through words, but through pictures. I use this same philosophy when designing a wedding album. Using the images to tell the story of the couples day, from the bride getting ready, having fun with her bridesmaids, to the groom with his best man and ushers, to the ceremony and finally the reception, where the party and fun begins.
5. What one piece of advice would you give to a bride when choosing her wedding photographer?
Apart from loving their style of photography, is to make sure you like them as a person and that you feel comfortable with them. As the photographer will be one of the few people who will be with you throughout the day – from you getting ready to you as a married couple leaving the reception. Just one more tip. Make sure your photographer is insured and has public liability/professional indemnity insurance. Just in case they have a technical failure and the images are lost, the insurance will pay for a re-shoot.
6. What prices do the albums range from?
A Queensberry album is not as expensive as you would like to think. For a Queensberry Flushmount album, prices start from £597.00. This includes the design and a supply of an album with 12 pages (24 sides) which can hold approximately 60 images and a Silk or Buckrum cover. Other styles of albums are available. You can also upgrade the number of images in the album, upgrade the cover material and add accessories. Designing the album is the easy, choosing the accessories can be the hard part!
7. What do you like to do on a rainy day?
Relax with the family! If not too rainy, a nice walk in the country so the children can burn of some energy. If just me, out on the bike.
8. Your favourite moment to capture during a wedding day?
When the bride or groom are getting ready. They both look their best at this time. There are usually some nerves, but as a photographer, you should be able to help them control the nerves, or at least help them take their mind of things.
9. Tea or coffee??
Hmmm, definitely coffee in the morning to wake me up, But generally a mug of tea…. and a biscuit!
With over 25 years of photographic experience, Paul Birkett began his career as a sports photographer, spending 5 years traveling the world with Formula One. He then had an opportunity to fulfill a boy hood dream to work as a Visual Effects artist for a number of years, working on such films as Troy and Harry Potter, to name but a few. However, the love of being behind a camera eventually was too much, and Paul started photographing weddings in his own natural, relaxed and intrusive style. Now, he concentrates on offering a wedding album design service, supplying Queenberry albums to those couples who at the time of their wedding, did not want an wedding album, but since that special day, now want to display and show off their wedding photos in a glorious Queensberry album.
